Shawn Lemon facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Shawn Lemon

Montreal Alouettes
Lemon with the Montreal Alouettes in 2024
Born:	(1988-08-25) August 25, 1988 (age 36) Charleston, South Carolina, U.S.
Career information
Status	Suspended
CFL status	American
Position(s)	Defensive lineman
Height	6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight	242 lb (110 kg)
College	Akron
High school	Westlake (Waldorf, Maryland)
Career history
As player
2011	Winnipeg Blue Bombers*
2011	Saskatchewan Roughriders
2012	San Jose SaberCats
2012	Orlando Predators
2012	Sioux Falls Storm
2012–2013	Edmonton Eskimos
2013–2014	Calgary Stampeders
2015	Pittsburgh Steelers*
2015	San Francisco 49ers*
2015	Ottawa Redblacks
2016	Saskatchewan Roughriders
2016–2018	Toronto Argonauts
2018	BC Lions
2019	Toronto Argonauts
2019	BC Lions
2021	Edmonton Elks*
2021–2022	Calgary Stampeders
2023	BC Lions*
2023–present	Montreal Alouettes
*Offseason and/or practice roster member only
Career highlights and awards
3× Grey Cup champion (2014, 2017, 2023) Norm Fieldgate Trophy (2022)
CFL All-Star	2022
CFL East All-Star	2016
CFL West All-Star	2022
Career stats
Tackles	237
Sacks	101
Forced fumbles	30
Interceptions	3
Playing stats at CFL.ca Playing stats at NFL.com

Shawn Lemon (born August 25, 1988) is an American professional football defensive lineman. He plays for the Montreal Alouettes in the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football at Akron. Lemon has been a part of many football teams. These include eight CFL teams, three indoor football teams, and two NFL teams.

Lemon has won the Grey Cup three times. In 2022, he was named a CFL All-Star. He also won the Norm Fieldgate Trophy. This award is for the best defensive player in the West Division. He was also a CFL East All-Star in 2016.

In 2024, he was suspended by the CFL for breaking league rules. He was allowed to return to play on July 16, 2025.

Early Life and High School Football

Shawn Lemon was born on August 25, 1988. His birthplace was Charleston, South Carolina. His family later moved to Waldorf, Maryland. There, he attended Westlake High School.

High School Achievements

At Westlake, Shawn played football, basketball, and ran track and field. He was a star football player. He set a new record for sacks in a single season at Westlake. He also broke the record for the Southern Maryland Athletic Conference with 21 sacks.

As a senior, Lemon made 97 tackles. He was named first team All-Metro. He also earned a spot on the Maryland Big School All-State second team. In his junior year, he had 80 tackles and 16 sacks. He was named second team All-Metro that year.

College Football Career

Shawn Lemon played college football for the Akron Zips. This team is part of the University of Akron. As a senior, he was chosen for the All-Mid-American Conference team. He led his team with seven sacks. He also recovered four fumbles.

Lemon finished his college career with impressive stats. He had 102 tackles and 23 tackles for loss. He also recorded 11 sacks, five fumble recoveries, and six forced fumbles.

Professional Football Journey

Shawn Lemon's professional career began in 2011. He played for many teams across different leagues.

Early CFL and Indoor Football Teams

• Winnipeg Blue Bombers: Lemon first joined the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the CFL on July 18, 2011. He was on their practice team for a short time.
• Saskatchewan Roughriders (First Time): He then signed with the Saskatchewan Roughriders on August 10, 2011. He played his first CFL game on September 11, 2011.
• Arena Football League: In 2012, Lemon played in the Arena Football League (AFL). He was with the San Jose SaberCats and then the Orlando Predators.
• Indoor Football League: After the AFL, he played for the Sioux Falls Storm in the Indoor Football League.
• Edmonton Eskimos (First Time): Lemon returned to the CFL in 2012. He played for the Edmonton Eskimos during the 2012 season.

Success with Calgary Stampeders

Lemon joined the Calgary Stampeders on June 2, 2013. He played six games in 2013. He made 18 tackles and three sacks. In 2014, he started all 18 games. He recorded 13 sacks and set a CFL record with eight forced fumbles. He also had 31 tackles and one interception.

He was named Defensive Player of the Week in Week 15. The Stampeders won the 102nd Grey Cup on November 30, 2014. Lemon was released in January 2015 to try playing in the NFL.

Lemon with the San Francisco 49ers in 2015

NFL Experience

• Pittsburgh Steelers: On January 20, 2015, Lemon signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). He was released in August 2015.
• San Francisco 49ers: He then signed with the San Francisco 49ers on August 8, 2015. He was released later that month. During his time in the NFL, he played as a linebacker.

Return to the CFL

• Ottawa Redblacks: On September 3, 2015, Lemon signed with the Ottawa Redblacks. He played as a defensive end. He had five sacks in the second half of the season.
• Saskatchewan Roughriders (Second Time): Lemon signed with the Roughriders again on January 15, 2016. He played only one game before being traded.

Lemon with the Toronto Argonauts in 2019

Time with Toronto Argonauts

Lemon was traded to the Toronto Argonauts on July 2, 2016. He played 16 games in the 2016 season. He finished tied for second in the CFL with 14 sacks. He was named a CFL East Division All-Star.

In 2017, Lemon played 12 games. He recorded 8 sacks. The Argonauts won the 105th Grey Cup that year. Lemon played in 5 games for Toronto in 2018 before being traded again.

BC Lions (First Time)

On July 24, 2018, Lemon was traded to the BC Lions. He played 13 games for BC. He recorded 10 sacks.

Back to Toronto and BC

• Toronto Argonauts (Second Time): Lemon signed with Toronto again in February 2019. He played four games and had one sack.
• BC Lions (Second Time): On August 12, 2019, Lemon was traded back to the BC Lions. He recorded 8 sacks in 10 games with the Lions. The 2020 CFL season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lemon with the Calgary Stampeders in 2022

Edmonton and Calgary Returns

• Edmonton Football Team / Elks (Second Time): On February 3, 2021, Lemon signed with the Edmonton Football Team. He was released before the season started.
• Calgary Stampeders (Second Time): On July 30, 2021, Lemon signed with the Calgary Stampeders. He played 28 games in the 2021 and 2022 seasons. He had 55 tackles and 22 sacks. He was named a CFL All-Star in 2022. He also won the Norm Fieldgate Trophy.

Third Stint with BC Lions

On February 26, 2023, Lemon signed with the BC Lions for a third time. He was released during training camp in May 2023.

Lemon with the Alouettes in 2023

Montreal Alouettes and Recent Events

On July 23, 2023, Lemon signed with the Montreal Alouettes. On September 30, 2023, he scored his first career touchdown. He returned a fumble 30 yards. The next week, he recorded his 100th career sack. He played 13 games, with nine sacks and two interceptions.

In the playoffs, Lemon had three sacks. The Alouettes won the 110th Grey Cup. Lemon won his third Grey Cup championship. He signed a contract extension on December 7, 2023. He announced his retirement on April 10, 2024.

On April 24, 2024, the CFL announced that Lemon was suspended for breaking league rules. He appealed this decision and returned to the Alouettes. He played four games in 2024. On July 4, 2024, an arbitrator ruled that his suspension would begin. He was on the suspended list for the rest of the season.

On July 16, 2025, the league announced that Lemon could return to play. He needed to complete league education and counseling. He also had to serve a two-game suspension for a past rule violation. On July 17, 2025, he signed with the Alouettes. This allowed him to serve his suspension.

CFL Statistics